First, we should be aware that polygamy doesn'€™t belong to a particular religion so let'€™s see it in the bigger picture. I personally believe a free man/woman decides what'€™s good for them.

Love is indeed something to be shared but before you go further, please look your little daughter in the eyes and tell her that you want her to be somebody'€™s sister-wife when she grows up. Don'€™t you think it'€™s sad that your only one won'€™t be somebody'€™s only one?

Brenda Gracia

 From the article, '€œThe letter of notice mentioned a rule that states male civil servants in the Defense Ministry are allowed to have multiple wives. The women, however, are not allowed to have multiple husbands.'€

I don'€™t have a problem with a plural marriage, gay marriage or even incestuous marriage between consenting adults. All three share certain qualities, primarily revolving around efforts to police morality, whereby some people feel such arrangements are '€œicky'€ even if they aren'€™t involved in such arrangements themselves.

There will frequently be lamentations about the '€œsocial cost'€ of such arrangements, and also sometimes valid pragmatic concerns, e.g. custody battles with more than two parents.

If this was simply about the freedom for '€œmarriage equality'€, I'€™d support the Defense Ministry 100 percent. But it'€™s not as simple as that. It'€™s a discriminatory arrangement designed to give a special marriage arrangement to Muslim civil servants only.

If you'€™re going to permit plural marriage, make it equal. I'€™m not a fan, personally; I think it usually tends to concentrate marriageable women with rich and old men. It'€™s not really my place to tell consenting adults they cannot marry the person (or persons) of their choice provided that person(s) is another consenting adult.

Dani

But have you ever realized that to have more wives just creates more problems than to have just one wife who is unable to fulfill her duty, contracts an acute sickness or physical disability or is unable to produce offspring? Why aren'€™t you husbands willing to have and to hold as long as you live, keep the first love and not be separated unless death separates you?  

Why don'€™t you as husbands carry the burden and sail on the same boat facing the ocean of life and treat your wife the way you did when you first fell in love and promised to take care of her during your life?  

I invite husbands and wives not to be polygamous even though they may be financially able to have everything, are rich, powerful and well off. Remarrying, no matter what the circumstances, is not a solution; the solution is to be faithful forever until being separated by death.

Saut Halomoan  

When confronted with an issue or topic such as this, we tend to draw wisdom from our religious beliefs. But a person can have high values and be a socially upright and law-abiding citizen yet have no religious beliefs.   

So although a Christian with clearly proclaimed moral prohibitions within the Ten Commandments, I will take my cue and guidance from the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, which studied the condition of women in societies or states that practice polygamy.   

It came up with a conclusion and an instruction: Women do not like polygamy but cannot do anything about it. Another UN committee called on the Human Rights Committee to take a strong position against polygamy because in its view, polygamy causes serious emotional and financial consequences to wives and their children, and also because it '€œcontravenes with woman'€™s right to equality with men'€.  

The Defense Ministry'€™s position is alluringly pragmatic with seemingly great stipulations or conditions; yet, it may be going against social norms.

James Woworoendeng  

I pay more tax than other countrymen, say, twice as much, so can my vote be counted twice? Most religions in Indonesia teach that the first human couple was Adam and Eve. Therefore, their descendants ought to emulate the first couple in forming a family.  

As the saying goes, life is more than food, life is more than sex.

A creature learns first what he/she can see, then learns to love what he/she cannot see physically: Fidelity to one wife/husband is prerequisite to fidelity to the one true God.

H Hunaw

One day this, one day that. It'€™s a very wishy-washy ministry and government. No forward movement. One step forward, two steps back. Ahok seems to be the only government official who dares to go forward and make progress.

Willo

My guess is that polygamy is indeed permitted by the Defense Ministry. The only reason they have come up with this '€œdenial'€ now is because all the fuss makes them look ridiculous and sharia-bound.

Terry McAsee
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Cabinet reshuffle

President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo finally reshuffled his Cabinet on Wednesday by replacing three coordinating ministers and three ministers in an endeavor to repair the government'€™s performance and boost economic growth. What do you think of the President'€™s move and the new ministers? Are you optimistic about the changes and for better economic conditions in the years to come?

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